Monday Night Thing for Roberto and double bass
This Sunday, September 9, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham’s hotly anticipated Summer Tour arrives in Perthshire, at 8pm and promising to be full of fun.
Aly and Phil are among the nation’s favourite folk players and perhaps the best story-tellers on the Scottish music scene. The duo - who have toured and recorded together since 1988 - get sitting comfortably with fiddle and buttonbox at Pitlochry Festival Theatre for another popular evening. Previous visits to Pitlochry have been sell out shows as they are known to do their best to bring a smile and a tapping toe to every member of the audience.
Phil Cunningham is widely regarded as one of the most exciting and innovative accordion players of the time. He works extensively in television and film as a composer, musical director and presenter.
Aly Bain is Scotland’s supreme traditional style fiddler, beginning his days playing with the famous, Boys Of The Lough. In addition to his solo albums, he has appeared on albums by Hue and Cry, Eddie Reader, Richard Thomson and Fish.
Book tickets on 01796 484626 speaking to box office staff or go online at www.PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com Perth Theatre has a fantastic programme of evening concerts on Monday nights to make autumn and winter a time to look forward to - and Roberto Cassani steps up on September 24.
The mischievous Scone-based musician is lined up to entertain, singing his own songs and playing double bass.
Appearing with him on guitar is his friend Owen Nicholson, a key musician on many recordings.
The journey to the Perth Theatre stage has been a long one for Roberto, who had to learn English before he could continue his career as a professional musician.
Now living in Scone, married to Lara and father to wee Ruby, he’s a long way from his roots in Milan, northern Italy.
“I’m hoping to preview some new material I’ve been working on when I play in the Joan Knight Theatre for the Monday Night Thing,” explained Roberto.
“I left Milan in the 2000s and came to Scotland. That journey had many twists and turns and I wanted to tell that story in my song-writing.
“It’s been a gradual integration, a journey where ultimately love transcends all normal boundaries.”
About a year ago he began a collaboration with the legendary double bass player, Danny Thompson.
“He’s not only a phenomenal player, but a really special man,” said Roberto. “I have made trips to visit him in London and he has helped me form this autobiographical music.
“I’m still a long way off having it recorded, but Danny has been a kind mentor and next year I hope to pull this project off. Travelling back and forth to play him the music has been an experience in itself.
“I’m really pleased with what we’ve come up with together and I plan to devote a good proportion of the Monday Night Thing concert to this new work.”
He’s played at the Edinburgh Fringe several times and he’s a well known name the UK festival scene and toured in America and Canada with his double bass in the aeroplane hold.
Roberto would not be drawn on what sort of genre he can be put in musically: “I listen to absolutely everything that’s ever been conceived - blues, jazz, folk, sounds from all over the world. Aly and Phil come to PFT Robert Cassani plays the Monday Night Thing
“I take a tiny bit of everything and it enters what comes out creatively. But I can’t pin down specific influences, I have a very open ear.”
The evening begins with singer Nicky Murray making the trip from Inverness.
Tickets for the 8pm gig cost £12.50, concessions £10.50 from Horsecross box office on 01738 621031.